Los Angeles County Department of Public Health officials on Friday confirmed 256 new deaths and 9,277 new cases of confirmed COVID-19 countywide, as Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital in Valencia reported three new deaths.
New cases are considerably lower this week, with a decrease of 30 percent in the seven-day average of daily cases from last week.
The test positivity rate has also dropped to 12.7 percent.
On Jan. 1, the test positivity rate was 20.8 percent; this is a reduction of 39 percent in three weeks.
On Nov. 1, just before our surge began, the County’s test positivity rate was 3.8 percent.
While we have come a long way this week with community transmission, we have a long road to go and must continue to practice infectious control measures: wear a face covering and maintain physical distance when out of your home.
Mr. Gomez began his career in education as an English teacher at Chatsworth High School in 2000.
While at Chatsworth High, Mr. Gomez was also a Humanitas teacher and coordinator as well as a Youth Crisis Intervention Coordinator, a football coach and a wrestling coach.
In 2006, Mr. Gomez became Dean of Students at Chatsworth High until 2013 when he moved to Moorpark Unified School District where he has served as an administrator overseeing many programs at Moorpark High, Moorpark Community Continuation High School and most recently Campus Canyon College Prep Academy.
He also served as the District School Attendance Review Board Chairperson.
The Los Angeles County Development Authority will launch the Small Business Stabilization Loan Program on Jan. 28 and will begin accepting applications to help small businesses prevent further job loss and business closures.
The loan program is made possible through a $10 million business recovery assistance fund issued by the U.S. Economic Development Administration.
The funds were made available through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act Recovery Assistance.
The Program will provide flexible and affordable capital to small businesses Countywide.
The Small Business Stabilization Loan Program will provide eligible businesses with a competitive interest rate for loans ranging from $50,000 to $3 million.
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health confirmed 262 new deaths, including an additional death at Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital, and 8,512 new cases of confirmed COVID-19 countywide, with 22,360 total cases in the Santa Clarita Valley.
There are currently 7,263 people currently hospitalized with COVID-19, and 23% of these people are in the ICU.
To date, Public Health has identified 1,046,021 positive cases of COVID-19 across all areas of L.A. County and a total of 14,641 deaths. Last week, the seven-day average of new cases was 15,182. This week, the seven-day average of cases is 10,560, a decrease of 30 percent. Hospitalizations have also decreased this week, down 7 percent since last week Thursday.